Circuit breakers are switches used to protect circuitry from damage due to overload, by their automatic operation. They come in various sizes and voltage/current capacities and are selected for use, according to specifications. A key operation is termed actuator mechanism, which may be magnetic, thermal or thermo magnetic. The actuator holds the contactor in place for normal operation and moves apart the contactors in case of overload. The contactor allows the current flow when closed and blocks the current when open, thus protecting the circuit in question from damaging levels of voltage/current.
Circuit breakers that are available in the market today do not have the flexibility to adapt to a variety of panel specifications. In the circuit breakers which do aim at providing a retrofit solution for various panels, an existing breaker (VD4, Vmax) is used and further adapted to panel specifications. This can introduce a need for custom made connections, such as those manufactured using epoxy cast copper for routing the current, which can lead to increased cost and design time. Another challenge, which presents itself, is that some of the panels are not spatially oriented to enclose existing circuit breakers. This can pose a limitation in using pre-existing circuit breakers, which are both inflexible and expensive, leading to custom manufacture of circuit breakers to fit different panel specifications.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,462,296 provides movement of an entire circuit breaker (in and out), much like a current rack arrangement The number of modules has an upper limit.
US Patent Publication No. 20070159776 discloses a circuit breaker mounting plate having a prong adapted to receive a clip.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,818 relates to a movable contactor device in a circuit breaker such as a wiring breaker or earth leakage breaker. In this US patent, two contactor elements made up of flat conductors are arranged in such a manner that the contactor elements are in parallel with each other and are independent of each other to form a movable contactor for each phase. A contactor connects the conductor with the circuit breaker.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,337,613 discloses a three-phase, high-current switchgear apparatus with or without neutral having pole compartments connected in parallel. Distribution of current and temperatures between the twinned poles of 3-phase switchgear apparatus and circuit breaker are addressed.
EP1775744 discloses a method for the preparation of a three pole circuit-breaker. The three pole power switch has a switch lock where each pole has its own rapid short circuit trip to act on a trip shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,187,258 discloses a circuit breaker such as a molded case circuit breaker or an earth leakage breaker having a movable contact opened by an electromagnetic repulsive force when a large current such as a short-circuit current flows. This patent is directed to utilizing electromagnetic force for operation. A protection cover is made of an insulating material that covers a movable contact to extinguish a contact arc generated when the contact opens.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,854 discloses replacement of older air-magnetic circuit breaker by vacuum operated circuit breaker without modifications in the cubicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,973,096 provides minor adjustability for primary contacts for roll-in-type switchgear units.
Current circuit breakers, which try to accommodate different sized panels, do so by modifying the end-connections to fit the panel. Such circuit breakers are subject to space constraints, inability to fit into panels with different bushing designs, being immovable or fixed in one place, and so forth.
The entire disclosures of all the foregoing documents are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.